John Rolfe is best known for his marriage to Pocahontas, but his greatest contribution to the New World would be introducing tobacco as a commercial crop to Virginia colonists. Although the Indians had already cultivated tobacco, Rolfe introduced a sweeter form in Virginia that he imported from Trinidad, whose tobacco was considered superior to the Indian variety. His marriage to Pocahontas in 1614 led to eight years of relative peace with the Indians allowing time for increased land holdings tobacco to take root, grow, and gather markets. The production of this valuable commodity shaped the future development of the colonies, heightened Great Britain’s ability to trade, and helped form one of the strongest empires in world history.2 The
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England utilized Africa and became the middle man in the slave trade to gain more profits.5 Britain would sail to Africa in order to sell goods, the captains sailed to Africa and exchanged goods for slaves. British ships then travelled to the Americas to exchange slaves for goods. The ships would then return to England and the process would begin again.6 Across the Americas, slavery required more than gangs of field laborers. It also needed skilled workers such as masons, carpenters, distillers, cattlemen and drovers, nurses and seamstresses.5 As the slave colonies developed into complex social and economic communities, slavery spilled out into most walks of life. Enslaved people lived and worked in towns, they labored on the varied American frontiers.6 Enslaved people worked on board the Atlantic ships, manning the small craft in inland waters and rivers. As towns developed, slave owners employed women slaves in a host of domestic roles. Visitors were often surprised by the numbers and inescapability of slave domestics. The wealthy and fashionable even employed enslaved domestics in their town houses and rural estates in Europe.7 In summary, tobacco played an important role in the success of the Virginia colony. The need for a successful crop, and the tax revenue it secured, led to tobacco becoming its own form of gold. Tobacco became a global crop as people from
England utilized Africa and became the middle man in the slave trade to gain more profits.5 Britain would sail to Africa in order to sell goods, the captains sailed to Africa and exchanged goods for slaves. British ships then travelled to the Americas to exchange slaves for goods. The ships would then return to England and the process would begin again.6 Across the Americas, slavery required more than gangs of field laborers. It also needed skilled workers such as masons, carpenters, distillers, cattlemen and drovers, nurses and seamstresses.5 As the slave colonies developed into complex social and economic communities, slavery spilled out into most walks of life. Enslaved people lived and worked in towns, they labored on the varied American frontiers.6 Enslaved people worked on board the Atlantic ships, manning the small craft in inland waters and rivers. As towns developed, slave owners employed women slaves in a host of domestic roles. Visitors were often surprised by the numbers and inescapability of slave domestics. The wealthy and fashionable even employed enslaved domestics in their town houses and rural estates in Europe.7 In summary, tobacco played an important role in the success of the Virginia colony. The need for a successful crop, and the tax revenue it secured, led to tobacco becoming its own form of gold. Tobacco became a global crop as people from